Means for recovering lost or stolen watches



2 SheetS-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 14,1891.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. W. SGHBLL. MEANS POR RBGOVBRING LOST 0R STOLEN WATCHES.

No. 450,427. Patented Apr. 14, 1891.

REM/92h15.

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UNrrED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN IV. SOHELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR RECOVERING LOST OR STO-LEN WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,427, dated April14, 1891.

Application filed September 6, 1889. Serial No. 323,137. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN IV. SCHELL, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Means for Recovering Lostor Stolen I/Vatches, which improvement is fully set forth in thefollowing` specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a means for recovering lost or stolen watches.

The invention consists in the employment of a series of books comprisinga confidential general register and indices in the form of bookscontaining the Watch-works and case numbers, together with theregistered number and date of registry, description of watches, owners,and information as to transfer.

The invention further consists in the employment of a supplemental bookcontaining the name and number of the case, the name and number of theworks, and the registered number, and adapted to be located at differ-Vent stations, places of information, or agencies.

The invention further consists in the provision of a tag or analogousdevice bearing the imprint of the name of the company and locationthereof, and the registered number on one or both faces, and adapted tobe attached to a watch in any suitable manner.

Figure 1 representsatop plan view of a page of a general register-bookembodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 represent similar views of pagesof my improved indices. Fig. at represents a similar view of a pageofthe supplemental book. Fig. represents a detail perspective view of atag or analogous device embodying my invention, shown applied to a watchin dotted lines. Fig. 6 represents a top plan view ofthe obverse andreverse sides of the tag.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicatecorresponding partsinthe several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a page of my improvedconfidential general register, which is divided into columns 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, l1, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, respectively representingdate of entry, registered number, name of owner, residence, postoffceaddress, style of watch, name of case,

number of case, name of works, number of works, description of owner,inquiries, transfer, and date of transfer. intersected by horizontalruled lines, and the lines of the residence,postoflice address, anddescriptive columns are double in order to provide means of locating anddescribing a person to whom a legal transfer of the watch may be made.

B and C designate pages-of the indicesl shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

rlhe page B is divided into columns 17 and 18, and alternately representthe watch registered number and number of the Works thereof, and acolumn 19 for remarks of a circumstantial or other nature. The page C issimilarly divided into columns to represent the watch, registerednumber, and the case number, and a column for remarks. These pages B andC will each contain the same number of columns and lines, and be boundin book form to provide a means of reference, and used in connectionwith the general register formed of pages A, which contain a detailedrecord. The numbers of the cases and works of a watch being different itis necessary to keep them separated to avoid confusion. Therefore thepages B and C are arranged as set forth.

If two works or case numbers of different makes should be the same, theyare placed together and distinguished by dissimilar registry-numbers.

IVithout coniining myself to any precise number of lines and columns ina book, it is preferable for many purposes that the general registercontain two hundred and fifty pages having fifty lines, and that theindices have ve hundred pages, with five hundred lines to a page. In thegeneral register the registered numbers will be arranged in regularorder of fifty to a page, and in the indices the numbers of the casesand works will be in regular order and the registered numbersindiscriminately arranged. For example, if information is requiredconcerning registered watch-works No. 2,500, the fifth page of the indexcomposed of pages B would contain said number, with the registerednumber adjoining the same. If the registered number should be 650, thethirteenth page of the general register would contain the fullinformation, as heretofore set forth.

Said columns are' IOO Information required as to case-numbers` would beacquired on the same basis by reference to the index composed of pagesC.

As a further means of reference to be used in connection with thegeneral register and indices heretofore described a supplemental book isemployed and composed of the double pages D. This book is adapted to bedistributed at various places of informationsuch as pawn-shops,police-stations, and detection agencies-and is divided into columnsrepresenting the watch, registered number,

name of case, case number, and. remarks on one side, and the registerednumber, name of works, works number, and remarks on the other side.

As the number of registries increase in p the general register andindices, pages D, em-

bodying the additional registries, will be supplied from time to time tothe said places of information. By this means a Watch offered for saleor recovered can be readily identied and the name and description of theowner acquired.

A tag E is used to mark the watches registered, and consists,preferably, of a metal plate having the name and location of the companyon the obverse side and the registered number on the reverse side, asshown in Fig. 6. This tag may be of any preferred form and metal, and isbent around the watch ring or head and attached to lthe chain or guard.

, By my improved registry a watch entire, the case, or works areprotected and indentilied and recovery thereof made practicable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

printed headings designating watch regisy tered numbers and case andworks numbers, substantially as described.

2. A means for recovering lost or stolen watches, consisting of ageneral register provided with a series of columns with printed headingsdesignating watch registered numbers, case and works numbers, locationand description of owner, indices embodying a series of columns withprinted headings designating Watch registered and case and Worksnumbers, and a" supplemental book adapted to be suppliedl to variousstations and places of information, substantially as described.

3. A means for recovering lost or stolen watches, consisting of aconfidential general register provided with a series of columns withprinted headings designating watch-registered numbers and case and Worksnumbers, together with location and description of owner, and indicesembodyinga series of columns with printed headings designating watchregistered and case or works numbers, a public supplemental book, and amarkingtag adapted to be attached to each watch containing an imprint ofa companys name and location and registered number thereon,substantially as described.

JOHN W. SCHELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. C. WIEDERSHEIM.

